Too much spin off the driver....

[THR3E]

I recently went to go get fitted for a driver, Ive been having trouble keeping the ball flight at a reasonable level (Too High). The numbers on the launch monitor weren't surprising, 3500 to 3800 of backspin. I realize that i swing pretty hard (118-124mph) and steep so getting my spin rates into the optimal zone (2500-3000) might be a stretch but I Would appreciate any suggestions on how to lower the back spin on my golf ball with the driver.

[burner]

Originally Posted by THR3E

I recently went to go get fitted for a driver, Ive been having trouble keeping the ball flight at a reasonable level (Too High). The numbers on the launch monitor weren't surprising, 3500 to 3800 of backspin. I realize that i swing pretty hard (118-124mph) and steep so getting my spin rates into the optimal zone (2500-3000) might be a stretch but I Would appreciate any suggestions on how to lower the back spin on my golf ball with the driver.

Excessive back spin is the product of coming down too steeply into impact. Lessening the angle of approach will lesson the back spin you put on the ball.

Play the ball further forwards in your stance - in line with your left arm pit - and see how you get on. You may have to swing a bit more right of your target to avoid pulling the ball left, though, but you will soon get used to it.

There is no set ball position (we are all different) so you will have to experiment a little until you find the ball flight you are looking for.

[BOB0011]

Spin Rate is generated primarily by Spin Loft and club speed. Spin Loft =Dynamic Loft-Attack Angle. The high spin rate is caused by a combination of two factors. If for example the Static Loft of your driver is 10 degrees and the Dynamic Loft (the loft of the club at impact) is 15 degrees you will generate a high Spin Loft. If you have a negative Attack Angle of say 3 degrees (hitting down) you will increase Spin Loft. In this example the Spin Rate would be 15 minus -3 or 18. An ideal Spin Rate is 10-12 depending on club speed.  With a driver shots that generate a high Launch Angle and high Spin Rates are usually caused by a high Dynamic Loft.  A shot that has a good Launch Angle of 12 to 14 degrees and a high Spin Rate is usually caused by a Negative Attack angle. Both of these issues can be corrected by changing the ball position and the way you deliver the club to the ball. The best tool to provide feedback is Trackman. A simple solution to fixing a high Dynamic Loft issue is to get a Driver with a very low Static Loft in the 5-7 degree range combined with a shaft that is suited to your swing.

[CuppedTin]

Originally Posted by burner

Excessive back spin is the product of coming down too steeply into impact. Lessening the angle of approach will lesson the back spin you put on the ball.

Play the ball further forwards in your stance - in line with your left arm pit - and see how you get on. You may have to swing a bit more right of your target to avoid pulling the ball left, though, but you will soon get used to it.

There is no set ball position (we are all different) so you will have to experiment a little until you find the ball flight you are looking for.

Don't listen to this man, you just need the right equipment. If you truly are swinging that hard and .06 then the last thing you need to be doing is changing or experimenting with your swing!

I am in the exact same boat except mine is 6800-7400...  And my swing speed is less that yours.

[burner]

Originally Posted by CuppedTin

Don't listen to this man, you just need the right equipment. If you truly are swinging that hard and .06 then the last thing you need to be doing is changing or experimenting with your swing!

I am in the exact same boat except mine is 6800-7400...  And my swing speed is less that yours.

And that is because your angle of attack into the ball is too steep also.

No amount of equipment changing will cure a bad swing - BUT a small adjustment in ball position (cost = $0) to shallow out the angle of attack (NOT A SWING CHANGE!) can work wonders.

If there is an equipment disparity, then it is in the shaft - namely, who is holding it.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by CuppedTin

Don't listen to this man, you just need the right equipment. If you truly are swinging that hard and .06 then the last thing you need to be doing is changing or experimenting with your swing!

Wrong. Or, more accurately, quite likely wrong.

Setup change or swing change. Likely the former. Possibly the latter.

[CuppedTin]

Originally Posted by burner

And that is because your angle of attack into the ball is too steep also.

No amount of equipment changing will cure a bad swing - BUT a small adjustment in ball position (cost = $0) to shallow out the angle of attack (NOT A SWING CHANGE!) can work wonders.

If there is an equipment disparity, then it is in the shaft - namely, who is holding it.

You and Iacas are both wrong my man, if this guy is playing to a 0.6 then you might want to consider your own swing bad. And Iacas has just been out in the sun too long today I guess. Shaft kick point, tip stiffness and driver loft have everything to do with his problems. If he was a 12.3 handicap then I might think it could be in his swing.

I'm sure he did not get where he is by having a bad swing...

And you should be ashamed Iacas, you have seen my swing and you know that my angle of attack is fine!

[iacas]

Originally Posted by CuppedTin

You and Iacas are both wrong my man, if this guy is playing to a 0.6 then you might want to consider your own swing bad. And Iacas has just been out in the sun too long today I guess.

Uh, he said he swings "steep." That's something he can adjust with his driver swing. Could be as simple as ball position as noted by the person you're calling wrong.

Originally Posted by CuppedTin

And you should be ashamed Iacas, you have seen my swing and you know that my angle of attack is fine!

Uh, keep believing that. I'm done helping you... I know that much. If you know as much as you seem to believe you do, then that won't matter at all. Good luck.

[CuppedTin]

I wise man once said. Those that can't, teach! Keep teaching my man and let the players play. When the next great swing comes along I'll sit and watch you guys run to it... :-) Summary: S&T components work, the S&T swing doesn't...

[CuppedTin]

If you both look at changing his swing before you ever consider the equipment at his level of play than you are both being very foolish, that's all I'm saying.

[saevel25]

Its not really changing a swing, and it might not be an angle of attack.

It could be ball position, but it could be the golf club having to much loft. It could also be the shaft as well. But it has been proven that the longest drivers of the golf ball have an angle of attack closer to 0 and going into positive. Bubba watson is one of the few who has a positive angle of attack with his driver. That doesn't effect his iron play, were he is one of the best with GIR's, and he takes a divot. So its not really a problem to adjust your swing to take the angle of attack off a bit.

But i would admit, i would check out the driver first, as well as the golf ball. If that doesn't help, then try ball position, and maybe adjusting the angle of the swing.

[delav]

Originally Posted by CuppedTin

I wise man once said. Those that can't, teach!

Keep teaching my man and let the players play. When the next great swing comes along I'll sit and watch you guys run to it...

Summary:

S&T components work, the S&T swing doesn't...

Pretty ironic coming from a guy with his own thread about 7k RPM backspin off the driver.  Why be so rude man?  There is a ton of valid advise in this thread.

For what it's worth, I got down to a 3.1 index with an awful swing.  Changing ball position is something that a 0.6 index would likely do on many shots anyways given the desired result.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by CuppedTin

I wise man once said. Those that can't, teach!

Uh, four shots a side and I'll whip you every time. The guy I work with played the Nationwide Tour and has qualified for the National Club Pro each of the past two years. He also just shot 65 to win a tournament by five yesterday. He's a damn fine instructor too.

What's your deal?

Originally Posted by CuppedTin

Keep teaching my man and let the players play. When the next great swing comes along I'll sit and watch you guys run to it...

1. What's this got to do with the topic?
2. What do you know about my ability to play?
3. I'm not "running" to anything. If someone shows me something better, I'll change, but I've yet to find anything, and I'm actively looking, thinking, and investigating. Within the past year I've made changes in what I teach, and prefer.

Originally Posted by CuppedTin

S&T components work, the S&T swing doesn't...

That doesn't even make sense.

Originally Posted by CuppedTin

If you both look at changing his swing before you ever consider the equipment at his level of play than you are both being very foolish, that's all I'm saying.

Says the guy with an 8 handicap and 7200 RPM of spin off his driver? Yeah, okay, we're the ones who are "being very foolish."

Originally Posted by delav

For what it's worth, I got down to a 3.1 index with an awful swing.  Changing ball position is something that a 0.6 index would likely do on many shots anyways given the desired result.

Indeed. Ball position is one way to eliminate "steepness." A few other things at setup can change it too. You can have a different swing with the driver. Same overall principles, but some little changes are allowed. The ball's on a tee, after all.

[mchepp]

Sadly we got some sort of S&T argument on what I consider to be a great topic. I went for a trackman fitting recently and thought that I was having a problem with my driver having too much backspin because my ball would spin like a wedge on the fairway. I found that I was -4 for my angle of attack. I changed my set-up a bit, not my swing, just my set-up and I was 0 to +2. Massive distance gain. 20 yards and all my friends are looking at my driver thinking I have changed the shaft or something. Same driver.

So in conclusion. I suggest a set-up change to hit up on the ball and the launch angle will increase and the spin will come down.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by mchepp

So in conclusion. I suggest a set-up change to hit up on the ball and the launch angle will increase and the spin will come down.

I agree. It's possible the swing may need a tweak too, but again, it's most likely a setup issue.

[CuppedTin]

Originally Posted by delav

Pretty ironic coming from a guy with his own thread about 7k RPM backspin off the driver.  Why be so rude man?  There is a ton of valid advise in this thread.

For what it's worth, I got down to a 3.1 index with an awful swing.  Changing ball position is something that a 0.6 index would likely do on many shots anyways given the desired result.

There is tons of great advise, and the majority of it comes from Iacas... But sometimes I just like to get Iacas going, he says he is threw helping me but it's not in his blood to give up...

Anyway I changed today to a Titleist 907 D2 with a Aldila NV 65X and it brought it down to 4100. But I have been looking into the AOA that Iacas speaks of and learning to get the rear shoulder more vertical on the down swing and changing the ball position, it seems it does help... hmmm, who knew!

[THR3E]

Thank you for all the help and the great read haha. I had no Idea Golfers are that strong minded on helping someone they dont even know!

Again thanks for everything, I freakin love this site.

[CuppedTin]

Thank you for all the help and the great read haha. I had no Idea Golfers are that strong minded on helping someone they dont even know!

Again thanks for everything, I freakin love this site.

So how are you hitting it now? What adjustments worked and what did not?